UAE arrests three over death of rabbi Israel says was murdered in ‘antisemitic act of terror’

By Tamar Michaelis, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Sophie Tanno and Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN

(CNN) — Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have arrested three people in connection with the death of an Israeli rabbi who, according to Israel, was killed in an “antisemitic act of terror.”

Zvi Kogan, who also holds Moldovan citizenship and is a representative of Chabad, a religious movement of Hasidic Jews with communities, synagogues and other institutions in many countries, was found dead on Sunday, according to the local authorities. He had been missing since Thursday afternoon. Chabad’s website says he was abducted from Dubai – one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.

The UAE’s Ministry of Interior said on Monday it had started legal proceedings against three Uzbek nationals who were arrested in connection with Kogan’s murder. It said the authorities were committed to “swiftly take the necessary measures to uncover the details, circumstances, and motives of the incident.”

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israel would “use all means at its disposal to bring the murderers of Kogan and those who sent them to justice.”

Extending his “heartfelt condolences” to the Kogan family, Netanyahu added that “the murder of an Israeli citizen and Chabad emissary is a heinous, antisemitic act of terror.”

Yet at the same time, an Israeli foreign ministry official told CNN that Israel will not allow Kogan’s murder to sour relations with the Arab nation and that the country will use it as an opportunity to strengthen ties.

“If anything, we will only utilize this event to further and deepen our cooperation with our Emirati colleagues,” the Israeli official said, adding that the murderers were “enemies of those who are striving to have more relations” between Israel and the UAE.

The official refused to divulge details of the investigation into the murder but said Israel is working with UAE authorities to determine whether more people are involved and if “outside influences” had a role.

There has been “very strong cooperation” with UAE authorities, the official said, adding that Kogan’s body was transported to Israel on Monday.

Israeli authorities have reissued travel advice for nationals, recommending against non-essential travel and say visitors should minimize movement and stay in secure places. The official who spoke to CNN stressed this was not a new travel warning, only a reiteration of previously issued guidance.

Kogan worked alongside other Chabad emissaries to establish and expand Judaism in the UAE. He founded the first Jewish education center in the region, as well as helped make kosher food widely available, according to the Chabad movement’s official website.

Kogan’s wife Rivky is a US national, whose uncle Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The White House said Kogan’s murder was “a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coesistence.”

“It was an assault as well on the UAE and its rejection of violent extremism across the board,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said.

“The United States is working in close coordination with Israeli and UAE authorities, and we have offered all appropriate forms of support,” Savett added.

The UAE has a small Jewish community, thought to number thousands. Last year, the Gulf state opened its first-ever purpose built synagogue. Called the “Abrahamic Family House,” the interfaith complex also houses a mosque and a church.

Relations between the UAE and Israel have thawed in recent years. In 2020, the UAE became the most prominent Arab nation in decades to open relations with Israel, under the US-brokered agreement known as the Abraham Accords.

But Reuters says the public presence of Israelis and Jews has receded since the October 7 attacks. Jewish community members told the agency that informal synagogues in Dubai were closed in the wake of the attacks due to security concerns.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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CNN’s Ivana Kottasova contributed to this article.